Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID The U.S. Attorney's Office alleges Mayor Jason Lary misused $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. Lary was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution as well. Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, federal program theft, and conspiracy on January 5, 2022. Inpractice, the Stonecrest Cares Program directed relief funds to churches and non-profit organizations in and around Stonecrest. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID relief funds 585 views Feb 11, 2022 5 Dislike Share 11Alive 856K subscribers Jason Lary, the former mayor of. In a special-called meeting, members of the Stonecrest City Council voted 4-1 to censure Lary. Former mayor admits role in COVID relief fraud scheme Former Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges Former Stonecrest mayor resigns and plead guilty to federal fraud charges. Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure: "My frustrations have boiled over with this council. If the special election for the mayors seat requires a runoff election, it will take place June 21. "I came back too early from my second round with cancer. He has not been charged with a crime. "There was never an interest on anybodys part to kick back or filter money back or any of that nonsense.". It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. All rights reserved. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Jason Lary, who announced his resignation as the mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal. WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta facebook feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta twitter feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta instagram feed(Opens a new window), WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta youtube feed(Opens a new window), Reality star Honey Boo Boo was inside speeding Dodge Charger involved in chase with Ga. deputies, 49-year-old man shot multiple times during drug deal in northeast Atlanta, police say, A 17-year-old Gwinnett County girl thought she was taking Percocet; now shes dead, Man rescued after being accidentally buried alive in Cherokee County, Our capital city will die: Georgia senators reject proposal to separate Buckhead from Atlanta. Boone agreed to cooperate with government agents, provide records and testify at future trials. The former mayor of Stonecrest who pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges is making a punishment request. Lania Boone, Larys co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 11, 2022. One of the grants was to his church, which he awarded $150,000. Charles Johnson, Sr., has pleaded guilty for not paying $1.4 million in payroll taxes and for failure to pay employment taxes. Lary, 60, pleaded. Lary previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, but his attorney, Dwight Thomas, indicated on Nov. 10 that he would take a plea deal. In or about November 2020, Stonecrest published an application on its website for businesses to apply for relief funds under the Small Business Program. Richard B. Russell Federal Building Former Mayor of Stonecrest sentenced to prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds ATLANTA - Jason Lary, the former Mayor of the City of Stonecrest, has been sentenced for using his elected office to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the city. Instead, $108,000 dollars were transferred to pay off the mortgage on a lakefront propertyowned by the former mayor. The city will hold a special election on May 24 to fill the rest of the mayors term after the office was vacated by Jason Lary in January. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. "CARES Act funds were intended to help people and businesses harmed by the pandemic, not to line the pockets of public officials entrusted to lead a community", said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. His sentencing hearing has been set for May 2. Both Boone and Lary remain out of jail on bond until their sentencing hearings. For example, Lary presented a check for $150,000 in relief funds to Church 1, on the condition that $50,000 be given to a company called Real Estate Management Consultants, LLC (REMC). Jason Lary, whose resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, pleaded guilty to three counts involving wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy. "Instead of providing aid to Stonecrests deserving citizens, Lary allegedly diverted funds for his own use, including to pay off his taxes and the mortgage on his lakefront home.". "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Tem and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges Lock Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary is asking for a lighter sentence than he faces after pleading guilty to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to the city during the pandemic. SB 300, also called the Sentencing Reform Act, would rewrite part of Proposition 115, a 1990 ballot initiative that expanded the definition of first-degree murder to include murder committed . The last day Stonecrest residents can register to vote in time for the special election is April 25. At least two candidates have publicly said theyll run to be the citys next mayor. The people of Stonecrest deserved better, and corrupt officials can expect severe consequences for using their offices to commit crimes.. "The question of compassion to this Honorable Court is what is the appropriate sentenced for the conduct of this Defendant who, when confronted 'fessed up' and avoided costly indictment and made good faith efforts to cooperate with the Government," court documents read. Since Larys term was set to expire at the end of 2023, the city charter requires a special election to fill his post. DEKALB COUNTY, GA The former mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty to wire fraud, theft of government funds and conspiracy, reported WAGA-TV. His plea came the same morning his resignation as mayor of Stonecrest became official. 75 Ted Turner Dr. SW Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, pleaded guilty, according to a news release. The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was the only news outlet at the hearing. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives. He's accused of federal fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds. Lary continued with the meeting after an IT tech fixed the problem. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the citys founding mayor. Jason Lary, whose resignation. Lary announced his resignation to the city on a Zoom call Tuesday. ", Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is met by FOX 5 I-Team Reporter Randy Travis as he walks into the federal courthouse in Atlanta to enter a guilty plea to stealing CARES Act money on Jan. 5, 2022. Lary did not tell the businesses that he controlled these entities. Lary placed the defendant, Clarence Boone, who was then Senior Economic Development Manager for Stonecrest, in charge of overseeing the Small Business Program. However, federal authorities said Lary worked behind the scenes with an organization known as Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, Inc. ("MRPC") to disburse the relief funds. The details of Boones plea deal are similar to the one Lary accepted. Stonecrest mayor appeared in federal court about misusing CARES fund Mayor Jason Lary and others in the city of Stonecrest is charged with mishandling 650,000 of CARES money meant for the citizens of Stonecrest. The Stone that the Builders Rejected Became the Cornerstone? If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com. Instead Lary worked behind the scenes to form a private company, Municipal Resource Partners Corporation, Inc. (MRPC), recruit its CEO, open its bank accounts, and ensure that Lania Boone, his convicted co-conspirator, would be hired as MRPCs bookkeeper. ATLANTA - The former Mayor of Stonecrest pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. Now, the sheriff's office is hoping to reignite the search on this cold case. His coconspirators previously pleaded guilty and received the following sentences: This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the DeKalb County District Attorneys Office. Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary and his former bookkeeper have pleaded guilty to charges related to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to Stonecrest during the pandemic,. Jason Lary admitted he stole more than $650,000 in CARES Act money that was supposed to help struggling businesses and church. "What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner. STONECREST, Ga. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges just hours after resigning Wednesday. Stonecrest could hold a special election to fill the vacant mayor's seat as early as March. The former Mayor of Stonecrest Jason Lary pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing COVID-19 relief funds that were supposed to go to struggling businesses. A lock ( Under the CARES Act, the federal government distributed COVID-19 relief funds to individual Americans, federal agencies, and state and local governments, including $125 million to DeKalb County. In January 2021, Boone used her access to one of MRPCs bank accounts to wire transfer approximately $108,000 of relief funds to a mortgage servicing company. Attorneys for the Northern District of Georgia, Stonecrests former Senior Economic Development Manager pleads guilty to theft of COVID-19 relief funds, https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form, CEO of Atlanta engineering firm pleads guilty to failing to pay payroll taxes, Arizona man pleads guilty to extorting Georgia Tech, Georgia woman charged with stealing over $450,000 in government and retirement benefits, Stonecrests Former Senior Economic Development Manager Pleads Guilty To Theft of COVID 19 Relief Funds. Lary wont be required to report to prison until after Dec. 15, giving him time for more cancer treatments. Former Stonecrest mayor, bookkeeper plead guilty to theft of COVID Federal prosecutors said that in addition to paying off personal debt, Lary conducted a scheme where he asked small businesses and churches to whom he allocated grants to give 25% of the money to companies connected to himself and co-conspirators. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Around the same time, Lary directed approximately $7,600 in stolen relief funds to be used for Boones sons college tuition and rent. A bookkeeper and spouse of a former Stonecrest official accepted a plea deal in federal court Friday afternoon for participating in the same fraud scheme that brought down the city's founding mayor. and were incurred during the period that [began] on March 1, 2020, and [ended] on December 30, 2020. Examples of eligible expenditures were medical expenses, public health expenses, and grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. Lary is expected to be sentenced on July 13 at 10 a.m. Stonecrest Mayor Pleads Guilty to Stealing Georgia COVID-19 Relief Candidates must pay a $600 qualifying fee. Check back for details. Instead, prosecutors said Lary used the money to cover his own tax liabilities and pay off the mortgage on his lake house. According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In March 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 45-minute Zoom call in which he announced his resignation was hacked and briefly displayed a video game and then a brief snippet of pornography. Lary betrayed the trust placed in him by the citizens of Stonecrest by stealing the very funds meant to help his constituents weather the COVID-19 pandemic, said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash sentenced Stonecrest ex-mayor Jason Lary to 57 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. It's been five years since a Carroll County man mysteriously disappeared from his home. And while Lary falsely stated that the $50,000 would be used to assist with home repairs for people who could not afford them due to COVID-19, in reality he used the money for his own purposes, including to pay off his outstanding federal, state, and local tax liabilities. Instead, Lary spent the money to pay his own property expenses and his dues to the Georgia Campaign Finance Committee. I should've stayed out for several months, but circumstances prevailed where I needed to come back earlier," Lary said. 2023 FOX Television Stations, resignation went into effect at 10 a.m. Wednesday, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief. He resigned his post on Jan. 4 and accepted a plea deal the next day for concocting the scheme. Stonecrest mayor pleads guilty to federal fraud charges | AP News 2022-02-12 - By Zachary Hansen zachary.hansen@ajc.com. The potential stakes are high for offenders who break new guidelines. Library : Stone Rejected Has Become Cornerstone, The Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Former Stonecrest mayor sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for stealing COVID-19 relief funds In January, Jason Lary pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal program theft and federal program theft. None the less, I will continue to serve the people of the great city of Stonecrest.". ATLANTA Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary was sentenced to 57 months in prison Wednesday after he stole more than $650,000 in COVID-19 relief funds meant for the recovery of businesses, churches and the people of the city. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. Jones tried to get a comment from Larys attorney after court, but he refused to make a statement. Former Stonecrest mayor Jason Lary is asking for a lighter sentence than he faces after pleading guilty to allegedly stealing COVID relief funds awarded to the city during the pandemic. A former suburban Atlanta mayor was sentenced to nearly five years in prison on Wednesday for masterminding a scheme to steal nearly $925,000 of the $6.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds that.

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